I am a plastic surgeon in Little Rock, AR. I used to "suture for a living", I continue "to live to sew". These days most of my sewing is piecing quilts. I love the patterns and interplay of the fabric color. I would like to explore writing about medical/surgical topics as well as sewing/quilting topics. I will do my best to make sure both are represented accurately as I share with both colleagues and the general public.

In October 2008 I visited the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, where William Hunter’s great book of obstetrics was on display. Published in 1774, The Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus did much to advance the understanding of human pregnancy. The book contains 34 copper engravings. 31 of these magnificent medical illustrations were made by a mysterious man called Jan van Rymsdyk.

The building had four stories. In a narrow street in Baoji, west of Xi'an, the damp shell of a structure housed backpackers on its top three floors. The dorms exuded marijuana, travel must and provided many visitors with a fresh case of athletes' foot or worse. The occupants sat, huddled in the subzero temperatures playing cards and sharing a bong, partly for warmth, partly just to negate the feelings of loneliness and despair Baoji seemed to extract from twenty-something global travelers. …….

…... The poem is about Beth’s effort to imagine this patient’s experience and to empathize with her suffering…….

Let me know what you think of the poem.

Leylo and the Land Mine *

An ebony leg leaned against the clinic wall, snow melting on its sandal-clad foot

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CancerDoc write a powerful post about the impact of a patient on a doctor: Denmark

R.N. just died. She was my first breast cancer patient out of fellowship and training. My first breast cancer patient where I was the "doctor". No backup. Nobody to turn to for advice. I write the orders, I explain the side effects. I hold the hands.

….no matter how good the simulator is, it cannot replicate an actual person. Especially for men, doing a pelvic exam is more than the procedure itself, but learning how to interact with the female patient from beginning to end……

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Dr Am Ang Zhang, The Cockroach Catcher, notes this is the 30th Anniversary of the National Women’s History Project with her post: NWHP: Writing Women Back into History. “It was an interesting experience looking back at “treatment modalities” of mental disturbance in one of the most cultured city in Europe at the start of the 20th Century.”

One of the most striking features of those suffering from anorexia nervosa is their perception of their bodies. You can put them in front of a mirror and they will still tell you they’re to fat when in fact they’re skinny. A recent publication in Nature Proceedings has an explanation

Mmmm. I just discovered non-homogenized milk – the kind with the thick layer of cream on top and more watery milk below. You have to shake it up before each serving, and the little flecks of buttery cream never quite disappear. …. But the taste is far superior to homogenized milk. Think milk with a hint of butter.

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And while Dr Charles makes the point “In terms of diet, weight loss, and optimal health, moderation seems prudent” Bob Vineyard, InsureBlog, writes about a woman who doesn’t seem to believe in moderation. Bob ask Who is the Biggest Loser?, the woman who wants to gain weight or society who will end up paying for her efforts. (photo credit)

Donna Simpson is proud of her plus size 600 pound figure and wants everyone to know it. Her 150 pound husband not only approves but is encouraging her to continue her pursuit of tipping the scales at 1000 pounds.

Did you know that a history of abuse - emotional, physical and sexual – is common in women who have headaches. A history abuse is also associated with depression and stress. So reports a new study by Gretchen Tietjen, a Professor of Neurology at the University of Toledo and Director of their Headache Treatment and Research Program.

I’d like to see the debate broadened to include a frank discussion of the potential harm from too much screening. Excessive screening and associated harm to the frail elderly population is one aspect of that story.

Women are talking about their bodies and their health - which is good! Right? You would not think so if you are following the debate around the new UbyKotex.com marketing campaign, which I think is brilliant! …….

….I know we should avoid generalizations, but isn't it the case that all social workers are nice? Perhaps it is this niceness, combined with their knowledge and skills that makes them so indispensable. …….

Now before you get too mad or defensive (like I first did), go read the post and the comments. She is a family medicine doctor and the main thrust of the article (despite the provocative title) is that all doctors and especially primary care doctors should be skilled in palliative care. …….

part of the job is to treat some unsavoury people. sometimes you know what it is they have done. mostly you don't. sometimes you even may make a difference. but mostly you just do your job. after all it is not our part to play judge and jury (and, in our case, executioner)……..

….It’s true I am fascinated by the concept of risk, and decision-making in environments that are time-pressured and information-limited. Nevertheless, Dr. David Schriger raised more than a few points in his talk that even the most ‘risk averse’ person would find interesting, some of which I’ll discuss below…….

Experts are always split on these issues it seems, so I’m sure you are as curious as I am as to what came out of this great debate. I was fortunate to spend some time on the phone with Ellen Ullman, a patient advocate and research associate at Close Concerns — who was the ONE AND ONLY PATIENT REPRESENTATIVE invited to speak at these FDA hearings.

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Next week Grand Rounds will be hosted by Evan Falchuk, See First Blog. Thanks to Dr. Val Jones and Dr. Nick Genes for the work they do to ensure the continued success of Grand Rounds. If you would like to be a future host, please contact Nick.

Lovely collection and I like the women's theme. This weekend I was on vacation in Asheville, NC, and there is a memorial to Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell there. One of my best friends from medical school and I stumbled upon it together and had a brief "awww" moment. Sorry I couldn't get my &($% together enough to come up with a post for you. Maybe next time!

As expected, a superior effort at collecting the best of the medical blogosphere! Thanks for a thoughtful and well designed read... I'm bookmarking for later this week to enjoy when work settles down :)

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My purpose in writing my blog is to attempt to provide good solid medical information on topics of my choosing. It is a way to educate myself, my colleagues, and the general public. References will be provided on medical posts, but not on opinion essays or poetry posts. An additional purpose is to share my interest in quilting topics, a way to show my human side.

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